High-volume consumer products such as mobile devices and motor vehicles now include at least one digital camera. For example, FIG. 1 shows a mobile device 190 having a camera module 180 integrated therein. Camera module 180 includes an image sensor 100 beneath an imaging lens 170. Mobile device 190 also includes an image signal processor (ISP) 192 communicatively coupled to camera module 180. ISP 192 is capable of performing three tasks related to ensuring image quality: auto exposure control, auto white balance, and auto focus. Together, these three capabilities are known as 3A control.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of an image sensor 200, which is an example of image sensor 100. Image sensor 200 includes a pixel array 210 formed of a plurality of pixels 211. Selected pixels 211′ function as a type of 3A-control sensor. That is, each pixel 211′ has a dedicated 3A-control function: one of auto exposure control, auto white balance, and auto focus.